Certain sensitive data is transferred from peripheral devices within a gaming machine to the main control unit of the gaming machine. In one example, a coin or bill validator receives money from a player and generates data corresponding to the number of coins deposited or amount of money deposited. This data is sent via wires to a controller board containing a main control unit (a processor), and the control unit processes the data to generate credits within the gaming machine for use by the player to play the game. A typical game involves rotating and randomly stopping actual or simulated reels and determining an award to the player based upon the displayed symbol combination.
Casinos are concerned that the signals generated by the coin/bill validators, or other important signals, may be somehow fraudulently generated by the player or a casino employee in order to play or win the game.
Other peripheral devices, such as smart card readers, magnetic card readers, barcode readers, and other types of readers, also transmit signals that the casinos are worried about being fraudulently generated.
It is desirable to reduce the possibility of fraud involving the gaming machines by limiting a player's or casino employee's ability to fraudulently generate data signals within the gaming machine in an attempt to obtain credits or awards.